The Binge Movie Podcast

In which Jason and Rebecca fall in love with three movies about female protagonists finding their identities in the face of loss and upheaval: the inspiring Disney princess of MOANA, Natalie Portman's astounding performance as JACKIE, and Isabelle Huppert's second brilliant lead turn this fall in THINGS TO COME.

For the first time ever, Jason and Rebecca give all four movies their highest rating! First, they tackle two audacious new releases about the darkest parts of humanity, told through a prism of different genres and tones: Tom Ford’s NOCTURNAL ANIMALS and Paul Verhoeven’s ELLE. After celebrating Kenneth Lonergan's nuanced character-driven genius in MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, they close out with the refreshingly quick-witted and thoughtful teen comedy THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN.

After several minutes of grief-stricken rambling about the presidential election, Jason and Rebecca name ARRIVAL one of the year's best movies, lament LOVING's newfound relevance while wishing it was a bit more dramatic, and can't get past a strictly intellectual appreciation of THE LOVE WITCH.

Jason's husband Scott Ward joins the show to lend his nerdy Marvel expertise to a review of DOCTOR STRANGE. Afterward, Rebecca and Jason admit to being thoroughly entertained by TROLLS and Jason gives mixed reviews to partially animated documentaries GIMME DANGER, about Iggy and the Stooges, and TOWER, about the 1966 mass shooting at UT Austin.

In an all-foreign all-unrated edition, Jason and Rebecca delight in the perverted thrills of THE HANDMAIDEN, praise Sonia Braga's towering performance in AQUARIUS, and patiently wait for the two dudes to bone in BEING 17.

In which Jason interviews MOONLIGHT writer/director Barry Jenkins about creating one of the year's best films, the construction of toxic masculinity, and Jenkins' storied San Francisco years.

In which Jason and Rebecca bemoan the state of October movies, wish they had a CPA to untangle the many convoluted threads of THE ACCOUNTANT, and praise the subject of MAYA ANGELOU: AND STILL I RISE while wishing the film itself were a bit more inspired.

In their triumphant return, Rebecca and Jason finally tackle their full review of THE BIRTH OF A NATION, plow through the "erotic" "thrills" of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, praise the fresh, invigorating experience of AMERICAN HONEY, and face the uncomfortable relevance of DENIAL.

In which Rebecca sits down with East Bay director Justin Tipping to discuss his debut feature, KICKS, as well the pressures of representing your hometown, swerving the male gaze with a cast of 15 year old boys, and funding a film with a diverse cast.

We’re joined by Joshua Grannell, a.k.a. Peaches Christ, for a review of the Natasha Lyonne horror indie ANTIBIRTH (Grannell directed Lyonne in his own horror indie, ALL ABOUT EVIL). Then Rebecca infuriates Jason by calling out THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS’ similarities to Nicholas Sparks and weak female lead, they reunite over their love of Kathy Bates in COMPLETE UNKNOWN, and Jason laments that Character Actress Margo Martindale isn’t enough to save THE HOLLARS from formulaic mediocrity.